For a moment, it was looking like the Atlanta Hawks’ hosts tonight, the Miami heat (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, SUN Sports) may have produced The Big 3, ver. 2.0, right on time for a playoff run.

The reigning all-NBA third-teamer and Most Improved Player, Goran Dragic (16.2 PPG, 4.1 APG) finally tired of doing Little Jack Horner impressions in the corners, watching his summertime free agent value recede while getting crowded out of Phoenix’s multi-point-guard offense. He moped his way right out of the Valley of the Sun and into the Sunshine State, bringing his consonant brother Zoran along with him.

For the price of Norris Cole, Danny Granger, Justin Hamilton, Shawne Williams, and a pair of future...

Atlanta Hawks fans look forward to a dry, fully-functional Friday night at the Highlight Factory, as the home team squares off with the Orlando Magic (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Florida) on the first night of a Floridian-flavored back-to-back series this weekend. If things aren’t exactly “dry” in the arena tonight, that’s only because it’s the Hawks’ annual “Hoops ‘n Hops Night,” a cavalcade of local craft brews on display for thirsty adult fans.

“Look, I’ve had it with all your Beyoncé crap, Rick! For the last time… Beck deserved to win Album of the Year, and that’s the bottom line!”

After Toronto trounced the Hawks in Atlanta last Friday, more than a few Hawk Littles were ready to make way for the Raptors to retake their place atop the Eastern Conference. Not even a week later, and Toronto finds itself even further back than they were coming into that contest. The Hawks can thank tonight’s visitors to the Highlight Factory, the Dallas Mavericks (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth,...